Four-Way Modulation Valve

Abstract

A four-way modulation valve device to reverse, to block, and to control/modulate air, water, and liquid flow in pipelines. The valve and device involves the use air, water, and liquid back flushing the systems (filter, heat exchangers, and others), reversing flow (heat pump and others), and flow modulation (heat exchangers and other industrial devices). In an embodiment, the four-way modulation valve consists of X-shape plug, cylindrical enclosure, four ports for primary and secondary system connection, and four pressure ports for sensors and actuator connection. The four-way modulation valve has both traditional four way valve and control valve function. Replacing existing control valve with the four-way modulation valve will add back flushing and system isolation function to the existing system. Installing four-way modulation valve in a system will eliminate the need of control valve. Four-way modulation valves significantly improve the system performance and reduce the equipment and engineering cost as well.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A four-way modulation valve for reversing flow, blocking the flow, and modulating/control flow of air, water, and liquid, said four-way modulation valve device for a pipeline comprising:
 at least four connection ports;   at least one cylindrical enclosure;   at least one bottom plate and one top plate;   at least one X-shaped plug;   at least four pressure ports.   
     
     
         2 . The four-way modulation valve device of  claim 1 , wherein said air, water, and liquid for the pipeline is an air distribution pipeline. 
     
     
         3 . The four-way modulation valve device of  claim 1 , wherein said air, water, and liquid for the pipeline is a water distribution pipeline. 
     
     
         4 . The four-way modulation valve device of  claim 1 , wherein said air, water, and liquid for the pipeline is chemical or industrial fluid distribution pipeline. 
     
     
         5 . The four-way modulation valve device of  claim 1 , wherein said vacuum tank is a tank equipped and connected to a vacuum pump. 
     
     
         6 . The four-way modulation valve device of  claim 1 , wherein said X-shaped plug has a tip which can cover the entire pipe port cross section. 
     
     
         7 . The four-way modulation valve device of  claim 1 , wherein said bottom plate is an end-cover of the cylindrical enclosure, and can be built together with the cylindrical enclosure. 
     
     
         8 . The four-way modulation valve device of  claim 1 , wherein said top plate is an end-cover of the cylindrical enclosure and can be built together with the cylindrical enclosure. 
     
     
         9 . The four-way modulation valve device of  claim 2 , wherein said flow modulation is performed by changing the passing cross section areas of supply and return ports and the cylindrical enclosure using the X-shape plug. 
     
     
         10 . The four-way modulation valve device of  claim 2 , wherein said flow modulation is performed by changing the passing cross section areas of load side ports and the cylindrical enclosure using the X-shape plug. 
     
     
         11 . The four-way valve modulation device of  claim 3 , wherein said pressure ports are direct access of pressure, temperature, and water/air/liquid mechanism. 
     
     
         12 . The four-way valve modulation device of  claim 3 , where said ports provide easy temperature and pressure sensor installation, and direct connection with a hydronic actuators.